Friday of the Fourteenth Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 387
Lectionary: 387
Thus says the LORD:
Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God;
you have collapsed through your guilt.
Take with you words,
and return to the LORD;
Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity,
and receive what is good, that we may render
as offerings the bullocks from our stalls.
Assyria will not save us,
nor shall we have horses to mount;
We shall say no more, ‘Our god,’
to the work of our hands;
for in you the orphan finds compassion.”
I will heal their defection, says the LORD,
I will love them freely;
for my wrath is turned away from them.
I will be like the dew for Israel:
he shall blossom like the lily;
He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar,
and put forth his shoots.
His splendor shall be like the olive tree
and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.
Again they shall dwell in his shade
and raise grain;
They shall blossom like the vine,
and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God;
you have collapsed through your guilt.
Take with you words,
and return to the LORD;
Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity,
and receive what is good, that we may render
as offerings the bullocks from our stalls.
Assyria will not save us,
nor shall we have horses to mount;
We shall say no more, ‘Our god,’
to the work of our hands;
for in you the orphan finds compassion.”
I will heal their defection, says the LORD,
I will love them freely;
for my wrath is turned away from them.
I will be like the dew for Israel:
he shall blossom like the lily;
He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar,
and put forth his shoots.
His splendor shall be like the olive tree
and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.
Again they shall dwell in his shade
and raise grain;
They shall blossom like the vine,
and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
Ephraim! What more has he to do
with idols?
I have humbled him, but I will prosper him.
“I am like a verdant cypress tree”—
because of me you bear fruit!
I have humbled him, but I will prosper him.
“I am like a verdant cypress tree”—
because of me you bear fruit!
Let him who is wise understand
these things;
let him who is prudent know them.
Straight are the paths of the LORD,
in them the just walk,
but sinners stumble in them.
let him who is prudent know them.
Straight are the paths of the LORD,
in them the just walk,
but sinners stumble in them.
Responsorial
Psalm51:3-4, 8-9, 12-13, 14 AND 17
R. (17b) My mouth will declare
your praise.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. My mouth will declare your praise.
Behold, you are pleased with sincerity of heart,
and in my inmost being you teach me wisdom.
Cleanse me of sin with hyssop, that I may be purified;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
R. My mouth will declare your praise.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. My mouth will declare your praise.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. My mouth will declare your praise.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. My mouth will declare your praise.
Behold, you are pleased with sincerity of heart,
and in my inmost being you teach me wisdom.
Cleanse me of sin with hyssop, that I may be purified;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
R. My mouth will declare your praise.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. My mouth will declare your praise.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. My mouth will declare your praise.
AlleluiaJN 16:13A; 14:26D
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
When the Spirit of truth comes,
he will guide you to all truth
and remind you of all I told you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
When the Spirit of truth comes,
he will guide you to all truth
and remind you of all I told you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 10:16-23
Jesus said to his Apostles:
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves;
so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.
But beware of men,
for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.
Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel
before the Son of Man comes.”
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves;
so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.
But beware of men,
for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.
Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel
before the Son of Man comes.”
Meditation: Sheep in the
midst of wolves - wise and innocent
What
does Jesus mean when he says his disciples must be sheep in the midst
of wolves (Matthew 10:16)? The prophet Isaiah foretold a time
when wolves and lambs will dwell in peace (Isaiah 11:6 and
65:25). This Old Testament prophecy certainly refers to the second coming of
Christ when all will be united under the Lordship of Jesus after he has put
down his enemies and established the reign of God over the heavens and the
earth (Ephesians 1:10 and Revelation 11:15). In the meantime, the disciples
must expect opposition and persecution from those who oppose the Gospel and the
coming of God's kingdom.
The readiness to serve and face hardship for Christ and his kingdom
Jesus never hesitated to tell his disciples what they might expect if they chose to follow him. Here Jesus says to his disciples: This is my task for you at its grimmest and worst - do you accept it? This is not the world's way of recruitment for service and toil with promise of honor and reward. After the British defeat at Dunkirk (June 1940), Churchill offered his country blood, toil, sweat, and tears.
This is not the message we prefer to hear when the Lord Jesus commissions us in his service for the advancement of God's kingdom and the battle against Satan's kingdom of darkness and death. Nonetheless, our privilege is to follow in the footsteps of the Lord and Master who willingly laid down his life for us in order to bring us victory over Satan, sin, and death. Are you willing to accept hardship and suffering in serving the Lord Jesus Christ?
The readiness to serve and face hardship for Christ and his kingdom
Jesus never hesitated to tell his disciples what they might expect if they chose to follow him. Here Jesus says to his disciples: This is my task for you at its grimmest and worst - do you accept it? This is not the world's way of recruitment for service and toil with promise of honor and reward. After the British defeat at Dunkirk (June 1940), Churchill offered his country blood, toil, sweat, and tears.
This is not the message we prefer to hear when the Lord Jesus commissions us in his service for the advancement of God's kingdom and the battle against Satan's kingdom of darkness and death. Nonetheless, our privilege is to follow in the footsteps of the Lord and Master who willingly laid down his life for us in order to bring us victory over Satan, sin, and death. Are you willing to accept hardship and suffering in serving the Lord Jesus Christ?
"Lord
Jesus, help me to patiently and joyfully accept the hardships, adversities, and
persecution which come my way in serving you and your kingdom of love,
truth,and goodness. Strengthen my faith and give me courage that I may not
shrink back from doing your will."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: The Spirit of your heavenly Father
speaks through you in every age, by Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD)
"To
be sure, we heard in that reading, 'But when they deliver you up, do not be
anxious how or what you are to speak... for it is not you who are speaking but
the Spirit of your Father who speaks through you.' And he says in another
place: 'Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world' (Matthew
28:20). Does this mean that the people who heard those words of the Lord would
be here until the end of the world? The Lord was referring, rather, not only to
those about to depart from this life but also to the others, including us and
those who would come after us in this life. He saw everyone in his single body,
and the words he spoke, 'I am with you even to the end of the world,' were
heard by them and by us too. And if we did not hear them then in our knowledge,
we heard them in his foreknowledge. Therefore, safe as sheep among the wolves,
let us keep the commandments of him who directs us. And let us be 'innocent as
doves but cautious as snakes' (Matthew 10:16). Innocent as doves that we
may not harm anyone; cautious as snakes that we may be careful of letting
anyone harm us." (excerpt from the Sermon 44a.2)
FRIDAY, JULY 10, Matthew 10:16-23
Weekday
(Hosea 14:2-10; Psalm 15)
Weekday
(Hosea 14:2-10; Psalm 15)
KEY VERSE: "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves" (v. 16).
TO KNOW: When Jesus sent his twelve apostles to proclaim God's reign, he warned them that they would suffer persecution. His followers would be like innocent sheep among ravenous wolves. While they must be unblemished in their personal conduct, they also must be shrewd in their dealings with those who opposed them. Although the apostles would be arrested and mistreated by both religious and political leaders, they should not be concerned about how they would defend themselves. The Spirit of God would enable them to be faithful witnesses (Greek: martus, by analogy, a martyr). The apostles would face hostility and betrayal even from their own families, but they must not lose confidence. Those who persevered to the end would be saved.
TO LOVE: Do I have the courage to profess my faith despite opposition from others?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to live a life of courageous faithfulness.
Friday 10 July 2020
Hosea 14:2-10. My mouth will declare your praise – Psalm
50(51):3-4, 8-9, 12-14, 17. Matthew 10:16-23.
‘The Spirit of your Father will be speaking you’
‘Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before
swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.’
(Matt 7:6)
The verse above came to mind while I read today’s Gospel. In
today’s reading, Jesus warns his disciples of future persecutions and calls
them to a shrewd sort of wisdom. Sometimes we Christians, have a reputation of
being too soft, for always looking for the best in others and possibly leaving
ourselves open to deception. We forget to accept sometimes people act like dogs
and swine.
Jesus does not want his disciples to be gullible or too
trusting. He even encourages his followers to flee a town and move onto the
next if they are persecuted. Just like when he let the rich man walk away (Matt
19: 16-23), Jesus often knew when to walk away. He could call ‘a spade, a
spade’ and accept a person, a group or a situation as it was. This takes
wisdom.
Lord, I pray for the wisdom to see who I can and cannot trust.
Teach me to be as wise as a serpent and as innocent as a dove.
Saint Veronica Giuliani
Saint of the Day for July 10
(December 27, 1660 – July 9, 1727)
 |
| Statue of Saint Veronica Giuliani | Mercatello sul Metauro, Marches, Italie | photo by Adri08 |
Saint Veronica Giuliani’s Story
Veronica’s desire to be like Christ crucified was answered with
the stigmata.
Veronica was born in Mercatelli, Italy. It is said that when her
mother Benedetta was dying she called her five daughters to her bedside and
entrusted each of them to one of the five wounds of Jesus. Veronica was
entrusted to the wound below Christ’s heart.
At the age of 17, Veronica joined the Poor Clares directed by
the Capuchins. Her father had wanted her to marry, but she convinced him to
allow her to become a nun. In her first years in the monastery, she worked in
the kitchen, infirmary, sacristy, and also served as portress. At the age of
34, she was made novice mistress, a position she held for 22 years. When she
was 37, Veronica received the stigmata. Life was not the same after that.
Church authorities in Rome wanted to test Veronica’s
authenticity and so conducted an investigation. She lost the office of novice
mistress temporarily and was not allowed to attend Mass except on Sundays or
holy days. Through all of this Veronica did not become bitter, and the
investigation eventually restored her as novice mistress.
Though she protested against it, at the age of 56 she was
elected abbess, an office she held for 11 years until her death. Veronica was
very devoted to the Eucharist and to the Sacred Heart. She offered her
sufferings for the missions, died in 1727, and was canonized in 1839.
Her Liturgical Feast Day is July 9.
Reflection
Why did God grant the stigmata to Francis of Assisi and to
Veronica Giuliani? God alone knows the deepest reasons, but as Celano points
out, the external sign of the cross is a confirmation of these saints’
commitment to the cross in their lives. The stigmata that appeared in
Veronica’s flesh had taken root in her heart many years before. It was a
fitting conclusion for her love of God and her charity toward her sisters.
Lectio Divina: Matthew 10:16-23
Lectio Divina
Friday, July 10, 2020
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
through the obedience of Jesus,
Your servant and Your Son,
You raised a fallen world.
Free us from sin
and bring us the joy that lasts for ever.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
through the obedience of Jesus,
Your servant and Your Son,
You raised a fallen world.
Free us from sin
and bring us the joy that lasts for ever.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 10:16-23
Jesus said to his Apostles: “Behold, I am sending you like sheep
in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But
beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their
synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a
witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about
how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment
what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your
Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the
father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to
death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the
end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen,
I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man
comes.”
3) Reflection
• To the community of His disciples, called and gathered
together around Him and invested with His same authority as collaborators,
Jesus entrusts them with directives in view of their future mission.
• Matthew 10:16-19: Danger and trust in God. Jesus introduces
this part of His discourse with two metaphors: sheep in the midst of wolves;
prudent as serpents, simple as doves. The first one serves to show the
difficult and dangerous context to which the disciples are sent. On the one
hand, the dangerous situation is made evident; on the other, the
expression “I send you” expresses protection. Also regarding the astuteness of
the serpent and the simplicity of the dove Jesus seems to put together two
attitudes: trust in God, and prolonged and attentive reflection on the way in
which we should relate with others.
Jesus, then, following this, gives an order that seems at first
sight filled with mistrust: “Beware of men...”, but, in reality, it means to be
attentive to possible persecutions, hostility, and denouncement. The expression
“will deliver you” does not only refer to the accusation in the tribunal, but
above all, it has a theological value: the disciples who are following Jesus
can experience the same experience of the Master of “being delivered into the
hands of men” (17:22). The disciples must be strong and resist in order “to
give witness.” The fact of being delivered to the tribunal should become a
witness for the Jews and for the pagans. It bears the possibility of being able
to draw them to the person and the cause of Jesus and, therefore, to the
knowledge of the Gospel. This positive implication is important as a result of
witnessing, characterized by credible and fascinating faith.
• Matthew 10:20: the divine help. So that all this may take
place in the mission-witness of the disciples it is essential to have the help
that comes from God. That is to say, we should not trust our own security and
resources, but the disciples, in critical, dangerous, and aggressive
situations, found help and solidarity in God for their lives. The Spirit
of the Father is also promised for their mission (v.20). He is the one who acts
in them when they are committed to their mission of evangelization and of
witnessing. The Spirit will speak through them.
• Matthew 10:21-22: Threat-consolation. Once again the
announcement of threat is repeated in the expression “will be delivered”:
Brother will betray brother, a father against his son, the sons against the
parents. It is a question of a true and great disorder in social relationships,
the breaking up of the family. Persons who are bound by the most intimate
family relationships – such as parents, children, brothers and sisters – will
fall in the misfortune of mutually hating and eliminating one another. In what
sense does such a division of the family have to do with witness on behalf of
Jesus? Such breaking up of the family relationships could be caused by the
diverse attitudes that are taken within the family, regarding Jesus. The
expression “you will be hated” seems to indicate the theme of the hostile
rejection on the part of the contemporaries and of those He sent. This phrasing
can also apply to the larger community, using the sense of the word “brother”
as we have done earlier. The community of Israel will find one against another
as those following the Good News will be persecuted and rejected by those
remaining in the old law. The strong sense of Jesus’ words find a
comparison in another part of the New Testament: “Blessed are you if you are
insulted for the sake of Christ’s name, because the Spirit of glory, the Spirit
of God, rests upon you. No one of you should suffer as a murderer or thief or
evil doer or as a spy. But if one suffers as a Christian, do not blush, because
of this name, rather give glory to God.” The promise of consolation follows the
threat (v.3). The greatest consolation for the disciples will be that of “being
saved,” of being able to live the experience of the Savior, that is to say, to
participate in His victories.
4) Personal questions
• What do these pronouncements of Jesus teach us today for
understanding the mission of the Christian?
• Do you know how to trust in divine help when you experience conflicts, persecutions and trials?
• In what ways have you been persecuted? Was it for standing with Jesus or was I in the wrong? Did I find strength at any of these times, or did I fold?
• Has the Spirit spoken through you to others?
• Do you know how to trust in divine help when you experience conflicts, persecutions and trials?
• In what ways have you been persecuted? Was it for standing with Jesus or was I in the wrong? Did I find strength at any of these times, or did I fold?
• Has the Spirit spoken through you to others?
For further study
In all the day-to-day interactions with others, in business, the
market, in school, and in community and family, it is often difficult to
discern whether persecutions that day were for His name or our own views and
wants, and whether the Spirit did the talking or our own pride did. St Ignatius
of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, wrote the Spiritual Exercises to
help one discern the action of the Spirit in one’s Life. The theologian Hans
Urs von Balthasar points out that the Exercises direct one to choosing God’s
choice in life, a self-abandonment to God, which is ultimately what today’s Gospel
says to do. There are many books on St Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises, besides
his original work, which explain what and how. Take time to read one or more
and perhaps practice them.
5) Concluding Prayer
Give me back the joy of Your salvation,
sustain in me a generous spirit.
Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will speak out Your praise. (Ps 51:12,15)
sustain in me a generous spirit.
Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will speak out Your praise. (Ps 51:12,15)
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